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Warts
What are Plantar Warts?
Warts are one of several soft tissue conditions
of the foot that can be quite painful. They are caused by a virus,
which generally invades the skin through small or invisible cuts and
abrasions. They can appear anywhere on the skin, but technically
only those on the sole are properly called plantar warts.
Children, especially teenagers, tend to be more susceptible to warts
than adults; some people seem to be immune.
Identification
Problems
Most warts are harmless, even though they may
be painful. They are often mistaken for corns or calluses—which are
layers of dead skin that build up to protect an area which is being
continuously irritated. The wart, however, is a viral infection.
It is also possible for a variety of more serious lesions to appear
on the foot, including malignant lesions such as carcinomas and
melanomas. Although rare, these conditions can sometimes be
misidentified as a wart. It is wise to consult a podiatric physician
when any suspicious growth or eruption is detected on the skin of
the foot in order to ensure a correct diagnosis.
Plantar warts tend to be hard and flat, with a rough surface and
well-defined boundaries; warts are generally raised and fleshier
when they appear on the top of the foot or on the toes. Plantar
warts are often gray or brown (but the color may vary), with a
center that appears as one or more pinpoints of black. It is
important to note that warts can be very resistant to treatment and
have a tendency to reoccur.
Source of the Virus
The plantar wart is often contracted by walking
barefoot on dirty surfaces or littered ground where the virus is
lurking. The causative virus thrives in warm, moist environments,
making infection a common occurrence in communal bathing facilities.
If left untreated, warts can grow to an inch or more in
circumference and can spread into clusters of several warts; these
are often called mosaic warts. Like any other infectious lesion,
plantar warts are spread by touching, scratching, or even by contact
with skin shed from another wart. The wart may also bleed, another
route for spreading.
Occasionally, warts can spontaneously disappear after a short time,
and, just as frequently, they can recur in the same location.
When plantar warts develop on the weight-bearing areas of the
foot—the ball of the foot, or the heel, for example—they can be the
source of sharp, burning pain. Pain occurs when weight is brought to
bear directly on the wart, although pressure on the side of a wart
can create equally intense pain. |
